This Port had a medium ruby color with just a little browning on the edges. I had expected it to have lost more of it’s color but it still looked fairly young. When we poured the first glass there was this big fruit and caramel scent while pouring that quickly disappeared once in the glass. From then on the nose was fairly closed although I did get some ash like from a camp fire for a little while.
The flavors were big and complex with fruit and spice. There was good acid and the tannins had dropped out to where they were almost nonexistent. It was so smooth and silky going down you just wanted more. The long finish had a little heat as all Ports do, although much less than a young Port. Over time the flavors evolved to include cedar. This was easily one of the best wines I have ever had.
When I took off the wax to get to the cork I could see the cork was recessed a little. Even being as careful as I could, the moment I touched the cork it popped into the bottle :). Oh well, I poured it carefully and left the cork behind.
I have tasted this vintage it was a fully mature vintage port with a high level of sweet grapey flavours and tough tannins.
I love Port. I have a 25 year old port from Glunz Family Winery that I’ve had for a year now and I’m dying to open it. Yeah, I know – what am I waiting for.
What are you waiting for? Well, it might get even better. Who knows, but when that special occasion comes around you will have it. I love the movie Casablanca so every 3 or four years I watch it. It just seems to be the movie to drink a nice port with. I have some others, though nothing near as old. Those I am holding until they are at least 20 years old. I got lucky on the 1977, our friends that own the local wine shop bought a collection of old ports. Someone else aged it for us 🙂
2011 sounds like a good year to open the port, I guess I should let the 12 year old port age a bit longer, eh?
The port was really good. Real smooth and a lot of fruit left. I know what you mean when a wine is kept too long. We had a 1997 Schug Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir the other night and it was pretty flat. Should have been drank a couple of years earlier.
Pete, I’m much more of a brandy guy than a port guy, but this did sound interesting. My sister, who had amassed a very nice wine collection (though it’s dwindling now) opened a Lakoya cab from 1996 while I was down in SoCal, and it was drinkable, but so flat and one-dimensional—disappointing for a $100 wine that you’d think might age well. But she opened a Turley pinot that was much younger and that was vibrant…